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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830359">Reverence</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FernShaw/pseuds/FernShaw'>FernShaw</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Child Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:28:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24830359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FernShaw/pseuds/FernShaw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The ritual didn't succeed. The child was too weak and passed away. <br/>And Grimm can't get over the feeling that it is his fault</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brumm/Grimm (Hollow Knight)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Reverence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was an accident. Yet, he should have seen it coming. The child was born very weak. The person that started the ritual refused to take care of him. He refused to eat and barely slept. </p><p>And even with all of theses obvious warnings, Grimm couldn't accept the obvious. The child wasn't going to make it. The little body gave up even with all of the care the nightmare king provided, and there was no going back. </p><p>The child was dead. </p><p> </p><p>It's been a few days since the accident. None of the troupe's members tried to get into their master's room. Not only it was disrespectful but they had no idea of how he would react. Anger ? Desire to get a revenge on the one who started the ritual and didn't honored his duty ? Or maybe he would just seek destruction since the thing he cared the most about was taken away from his hands. But in the end, someone has to see him. He hadn't eaten in days. And to risk his life was also risking the whole troupe's life. </p><p>So after theses days of pure distress and wait from the troupe, Brumm decided to go. </p><p>He was the closest to Grimm, being his lover. There was no real way to describe how relationship worked in the troupe, the master being pretty angsty and clumsy when it came to having interactions outside of shows, but he knew that they were close enough to trust really each other. Several times Brumm thought about leaving the troupe. But the master always helped him recover from the stress and pain and showed him a place that would give him stability and peace. So he knew that if someone could understand what distress Grimm was going through, it was him. Divine tried to make him change his mind. She was right, in a sense. The master's reactions were sometimes a bit extreme, and his violence was equal to his love for the troupe. Yet leaving him in such a pitiful status was too much for the poor bug.</p><p>Slowly entering the dark room, Brumm heard nothing. No sobbing. No chanting nor training like the master usually did. Only pure silence. Slowly illuminating the room with a bright red flame, Brumm started to look around to seek his dear friend. Strangely, no one was onto the ceiling. That was the usual place where Grimm was getting to either sleep after feeling too distressed or to get out his anger in the nightmare realm. The masked bug shivered, trying to think of where Grimm could be. He wasn't evil nor savage. He would never do something as vile as a surprise attack. Yet, no having him in sight was something pretty stressful. </p><p>After looking around for a while, Brumm finally noticed something moving in a corner. He slowly approached it, finally seeing what was going on in the room. It was the master, there was no denying that. But his grace, his powerful posture and his majesty were completely erased from his actual state. He was curved in a ball, hidden between two boxes of show costumes, trembling and gently hugging a small box. A coffin. The child's coffin. He slowly opened his eyes to look at his partner, breathing heavily. The look o' his face was undescribable. Pure pain and sadness mixed with a little comfort of seeing someone he cared about near him.</p><p>"Master ... I know it is hard for you, it is for all of us, but ... You have to take care of yourself. You can't just stay in your room forever."</p><p>Brumm hesitated on his words. He clearly couldn't mention death. And even less starvation. Anything could trigger the poor bug. And making him even less comfortable that he already was clearly wasn't the best idea at the moment. </p><p>"I was ... A bad dad. I didn't care enough. It's all my fault, all my fault ..."</p><p>Grimm and Grimmchilds always had a pretty special link. They shared the same memories, the same feelings, but the begining of their lifes was too different to say they were always to consider them the same being. And Grimm's love for his children was something he couldn't just forget. It was mainly what made him accept the pain of the ritual. Having to love and care for someone to help them grow and forge themselves a wonderful life was something he was proud to do. Being a father was something he was proud to be. Without his pride, Grimm was nothing. Without his child, Grimm was nothing.</p><p>"It's not your fault. It's the summoner's fault. You did your best. You worked as hard as you could to keep him by your side. And even if he didn't make it, I'm sure he understood that and loved you very much for your patience and support."</p><p>Slowly touching his master's face, Brumm slowly felt something against his hand. Tears. For the first time of this life, Grimm was crying. It was something that really meant a lot. He was supposed to be a Vessel. The child was supposed to be a Vessel. Allowing himself to cry was allowing himself to love a being that didn't even fulfilled the task it was born to complete and accept the fact that even if he is supposed to be a god, he couldn't control everything. </p><p>"I want to ... I want him to hear me say that I love him. And that I hope he will forgive me."</p><p>"I'm sure he's hearing you right now."</p><p>Slowly getting up, Grimm took a deep breath and whipped his tears. He hugged his lover, letting his body fall into the fur of his neck. He needed this. Affection. That was what he didn't have time to deliver. It was also a good feeling to receive. </p><p>"Dear master, I-"</p><p>"Do you think you can help me to fulfill the ritual ? I ... I'm not sure of if I can do it alone."</p><p>Brumm looked at the small coffin and nodded. It was time to end it all. </p><p>Slowly getting out of the room and the tents, the two bugs walked towards a near graveyard. They knew they couldn't bury the body in this place because the ritual required them to leave as little traces as possible, yet the place felt symbolic. It was good to know that he wasn't the first bug to die nearby.</p><p>The troupe master slowly hugged the little box one last time before putting it on the ground and cover it with his flames, slowly consuming the wood. Sitting on the ground and watching the coffin burn, Grimm put his arms around his lover once more.</p><p>Burn the child.<br/>Let the next one survive.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm a big grimmchild lover but really I had this idea in mind and couldn't stop myself</p></blockquote></div></div>
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